A quartet of musicians performed a concert at Deoksu Palace, a walled compound of palaces in Seoul that was inhabited by members of Korea's royal family. Assistant Principal Second Violin Dara Morales warms up prior to the performance. Photo by Jan Regan.

After a whirlwind two-day visit to Ulaanbaatar, (l to r) Co-Principal Trombone Matthew Vaughn, trumpet player Anthony Prisk, and Principal Trumpet David Bilger wait at Chinggis Khaan International Airport for their morning flight to Seoul, where they, and the rest of the Mongolian mission, meet up with the remainder of the Orchestra tour party, who were traveling from Beijing. Photo by Jan Regan.

Musicians performed in numerous concerts today around Ulaanbaatar. A young audience member came early to an International Children’s Week Concert at the Children’s Palace, baton in hand. Photo by Jan Regan.

A children’s chorus opened the concert with a rendition of “This Land Is Your Land.” Photo by Jan Regan.

A small contingent of musicians and staff is in Ulaanbaatar where they will perform pop-up concerts, and give master classes and lectures on arts administration. This is the first time a Western orchestra has engaged in people-to-people exchange and outreach activities in Mongolia. The historic visit is in celebration of the 30th anniversary of U.S.-Mongolian diplomatic relations and is made possible by the direct investment and innovative leadership of the United States Department of State and the United States Embassy in Ulaanbaatar.

When we asked our musicians what it's like to tour Asia with the Orchestra, Associate Principal Trumpet Jeff Curnow responded with this illustration about how he survives jet lag. Jeff is a well-known cartoonist, and his work can be found regularly on NPR Classical’s Twitter and Facebook feeds.

Today’s focus was on a Side-by-Side rehearsal and concert at the National Library of China Concert Hall with members of The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Starry Sky Orchestra, which is comprised of prominent Chinese businesspeople and entrepreneurs. All were formally trained on their instrument, and most were elite conservatory-level talents in their youth or adolescence.

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